HOC winter thread. The cool and clear chat continues. Part 4.

[QueenCardigan]

Following on from part 3.

If you're a winter then come and join us for chat and links about clothes/bags/make up/hair....

WIWT - dark jeans, white t shirt & ancient raspberry striped cardigan...along with birkies & sunnies

Not even thinking about Autumn wear...

I was in denim shorts and a navy vest top today. It was really hot here.

Stokey I didn't bother with the actual mask, just the box. It saved taking a handbag out with me! I held back from buying the Gap shirt (even with 30% off) as I'm going to try the Uniqlo one in a couple of weeks time when I visit the big smoke.

mimiasovitch I noticed that dress but was worried about the pleated bust making my norks look ginormous. I think the green looks a bit muted but it's hard to tell from that pic. The red looks a bit orangey but I'm assuming it's ok in rl?

This one is lovely too. I'm not usually fussed by lace but the shape is great.

Ooh let us know how the shirts are, Stokey - I am trying for a no spend Sept otherwise would have gone for it too. I have a cotton and silk mix blouse from Next (randomly as I don't think they are normally very good at using natural fibres) and it is a really nice fabric.

The red isn't orangey in real life, so maybe I should try another one to check. It's a fabulous dress, especially with such a reduction. Personally I love lace, though that dress would do nothing for my figure sadly.

If anyone is after a leather jacket, This blue one in Massimo Dutti is gorgeous, really soft.

Does anyone else struggle with burgundy? there's a lot of it in the shops now, which I keep thinking will be a match but when I check the swatches isn't really.

I love that leather jacket! Very tempted indeed.

Yes stokey I find burgundy tricksy as it can verge one the brown? Maroon maybe? I tend to be a bit rash and then realise it's wrong usually from a charity rummage but still also I've lost my swatch book so it's a bit approximate for me at the mo'!

I think our swatch is a fairly bright burgundy but a lot of burgundys are quite dark or too brown.

This trend report has some great pictures showing the winter burgundy. I also love the ice section as it's so much easier to see the difference between ice and pastel after looking at it.

I agree about burgundy, it can often be a bit too brown.

This blog has a post about burgundy and ice blue - look lovely together. I have an ice blue shirt and burgundy (though think they might not be quite right) skinnies so will give the look a go.

Agree about burgundy. HOC burgundy is redder and lighter than many items described as burgundy - they're often closer to HOC damson I think. And, yes, many can be too brown.

It's a ** colour for me but all I have in it is a Next scarf which has butterflies on so it a bit girly for me but the colour was spot on so I had to have it.

Would love to find some autumn/winter bits in HOC burgundy. I even looked at Kettlewell but it looks darker and less bright.

Am still after a leather jacket. Love the navy one linked to - but does it have gold zip etc.? The LTS burgundy leather jacket I ordered didn't work for me - too big and wasn't great quality leather either. The colour was OK, more damson than burgundy but that would have been fine.

Being tall I have real trouble finding leather jackets that fit. Leather is less forgiving if the fit isn't right I think. Also, the style needs to be right, central zip (not biker), fitted and quite plain - like the navy one linked to. I'm the same height as the model so it could be OK but definitely would want cool coloured zip etc.

Am rambling now...

Oh and MrPop I love burgundy (or damson) and blue together, one of my favourite combinations, but till now has been navy or royal/electric blue. If I ever find an ice blue top that suits/fits I'll give it a go with burgundy.

Right - definitely off now...

That blog is great MrPop, I especially love the first couple of pictures, I've been lusting after midi skirts.

Looking at the HoC winter thing, theit burgundy is a bit wider than the swatch so maybe we can go a bit browner.

Pink did you see the <a class="break-all" href="http://www.massimodutti.com/gb/en/women/leather-jackets/view-all/maroon-leather-jacket-c911157p4526601.html?colorId=605www.massimodutti.com/gb/en/women/leather-jackets/view-all/maroon-leather-jacket-c911157p4526601.html?colorId=605" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">maroon version of the leather jacket? I love the colour, definitely on my Christmas wish list!

Yes Stokey I did see that but it's got a gold zip etc. Have had the same trouble with burgundy belts and bags - there are quite a lot about but many have gold hardware.

I don't mind breaking some of the rules but not that one (except for a tiny gold buckle on the ankle strap of a pair of otherwise perfect shoes - there are always exceptions!).

Yep the gold hardware thing is a bit of a deal breaker for me too.

Just to report back on dyeing shoes...I bought the tarrago dye suggested by Mimi (I think?). Black dye for tan boots - it seems very easy to do but I will need another bottle at least. Doesn't help that I spilt some of the first bottle but I think as I am going from tan to black I need quite a bit of coverage. At the moment (one coat) the boots look brown.

Thinking about it in Colour Me Beautiful, is it right that they have dark brown as a winter colour? Not that I think I necessarily should be but burgundy to dark brown is quite similar isn't it.
Just bought a black leather skirt from ebay (mad probably). Was lusting after the www.baukjen.com/uk/shop/baukjen/skirts/monmouth-leather-pencil-skirt-wine.htm burgundy one but..Black will probably look a bit lady of the night-y we'll see!
Really like burgundy and ice blue too, and that blog MrPop. Liking WIT also but very spendy so it is ideas only.
Anyone got any excellent black or grey leather boots that would look good with skirts and skinnies/cigarette pants? I'm hunting again. I can manage a slight block heel but nothing spindly I walk fast and hard

Hope it works out MrPop, I've bout 2 bottles and was hoping it would do knee high boots and a bag. Maybe not. I'll do the boots first I think and see how it goes. I was rather liking this M and S skirt, but I'd only looked at the unmodelled pic. On the model it seems more A line than pencil, which is a shame.

Love the Baujken skirt - one to add to the lottery win list. And the M&S one is worth a try Mimia.

In real life, I suspect I may end up going for pleather as don't know if I'll justify CPW for real leather in a skirt. I quite like the white Zara midi one although not keen on the way they've styled it.

I really like my Ash spiral for trousers and skirts.

I live in my Ash Jalouse in the A/W. I wear them with skinnies, trousers, skirts and dresses.

eBay stokey? Nice maxmara one listed, in black though.
What colour ash boots do you have pop and sorrel? Are they suede? How do the soles/heels wear clarks girl me so not used to leather soles ? And, what size feet have you? I have 7s bit gallumpfing not sure how boots suit bigger feet?

I'm watching the MaxMara one too!

My Ash boots are 'Woodash'. They looks a bit brown on some on-line pics but are definitely grey. They are suede. The soles and heels lasted me through an A/W but I did get them re-heeled and re-soled this time last year just to make sure that I didn't damage the underside of the toes or the actual heels themselves.

I'm a size 5 and have a 38. They are quite roomy.